She sat on the chair. The mirrors were covered. She was doing her best to follow tradition but it was getting harder and harder to remember what those traditions were. There had been many days when she wondered why she was bothering. She hadn't been so religious back on Earth. But here, where there were so few to keep their ways alive, it was important and so she tried. Besides, this was what Saul would have wanted.

Jenna was sitting shiva. Saul had died five days before. The funeral had been four days ago. He had been cremated. It was against Talmudic law, but here on Alpha that was the only real option. She and Saul had discussed it and decided that the Lord would just have to forgive them for incinerating themselves. Now Jenna was more than half way through the traditional mourning period. Some people had come to visit. Her daughters stayed with her along with their various mated and offspring. But for the most part, Jenna felt alone. Saul was gone and he had left her alone.

The door chimed and before Jenna could react, Mary went to let the visitor in. To Jenna's surprise it was Commander Koenig.

Jenna started to stand up, but the Commander motioned for her to stay seated.

"Jenna, I just came to pay my condolences. I was so sorry to hear that Saul had passed."

"Thank you Commander. It's so kind of you to come. I know how busy you are." Jenna started.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I hadn't realized that you'd be sitting Shiva."

"Yes, well Saul always felt it was important to keep as many Jewish traditions alive as possible. I know it's a pretty futile idea. There are so few Jews here and so many don't practice at all." Jenna stopped as she realized she might be offending the Commander. She knew that he was Jewish, but didn't seem to feel any connection to his heritage at all. She had always wondered why that was, but had never felt in a position to ask him directly.

"I suppose that's true." Koenig was saying. "Of course, it's true for many other cultures too."

"Oh, I'm sure it is. It's sad really. My grandparents went through so much so that we could live in a world where we'd be free to practice Judaism. My father's parents emigrated from Poland. My grandmother came to New York first in 1926. She worked in a factory for years until she saved enough money for my grandfather to come over. He left Poland in 1931. Most of his family remained behind. They were killed at Auschwitz."

The Commander just nodded his head, so Jenna continued.

"It's just, they struggled to stay alive. So many died, just because they were Jewish. No other reason. And they escaped. And now here I am, an old woman, living on the moon and I look toward the future and wonder who will remember them? Who will remember us? Who will say Kaddish for me?"

"There are your daughters and their children," Koenig tried.

"This is true. Saul was so happy we had daughters. They were all his little princesses."

Koenig looked down at his hands and Jenna wondered if she had hit a chord. She suddenly remembered that the Commander had only recently lost his own daughter.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to go on about my girls. It hasn't been that long since your Emma passed on."

"No, it's been about six months. But there are the boys to look after. It's like having a bit of her still with us." Koenig said.

Jenna thought the Commander was putting a brave face on things. There couldn't be anything worse than losing a child.

"I should be going soon." Koenig was saying, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" His tone was sincere.

"Actually I was just about to say Kaddish for Saul. I was wondering if you'd join me."

"In Hebrew?" Koenig asked.

"Well that was the plan. I have a transliteration written out." She picked up the slate that was on a nearby table and pulled up the page.

"I don't remember it very well. The last time I recited it was when my parents died." The Commander seemed to hesitate.

Jenna was aware of the Commander's discomfort. She put her hand on his and looked him in the eye. "I didn't mean to put you in an uncomfortable position, asking you to do this. It was just the whim of an old woman."

"You shouldn't apologize." Koenig paused. He seemed to be considering what to say. "So many people have come and gone. All my life I've had to deal with death. I've watched my parents and grandparents go. My first wife died in the war. Emma. So many more.." He paused again. "Perhaps, a few words, an ancient chant wouldn't be such a bad idea." He smiled.

"It couldn't hurt. It's an interesting thing, you know. It's called the mourner's Kaddish, yet it only has one sentence that even vaguely mentions death."

"Really." Koenig seemed surprised.

"Yes, I said this prayer for years without ever reading the translation. It's only the last line that even comes close. See?" Jenna took the slate from the Commander and brought up the English translation. "Right here."

Jenna read aloud: May He who ordains harmony in the universe grant peace to us and to all Israel. Let us say: Amen.

"Pretty vague stuff. Yet for thousands of years we've used this text as part of our mourning ritual." Jenna said with a shrug.

"Sometimes the simplest words can carry the strongest meaning. Think about it. To be granted peace, what more could you ask for?"

"I suppose you're right. And it's vague enough that it could mean whatever the reciter wants it to mean. An afterlife, the second coming, just a black emptiness..." Jenna broke off.

"What do you think it means?" Koenig asked.

"Right now, I'd like to believe in some beautiful heaven where Saul is waiting for me, but... I don't really believe there's anything after this life. That's why it's so important to really live the life we have. But what do I know?" Jenna smiled wanly.

"Maybe we should say the prayer." Koenig suggested.

Jenna nodded and stood up and the Commander followed. He took the slate and tentatively followed Jenna as she began.

"Yit-gadal v'yit-kadash sh'mey raba..."

The prayer only took a few minutes. Jenna finished and Koenig echoed her amen.

"Thank you Commander. I'm sure Saul would have appreciated it."

The Commander took Jenna's hand. She couldn't help noticing the intensity still present in his eyes. "It was my privilege to join you. I do have to go now. Let me know if there's anything you need."

"I will." The door swished closed.

Jenna sat back down. She took the slate back and reread the English translation. She hoped Saul was at peace, wherever he might be.